Clancy Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Clancy Family History

Clancy Family History

The family history of the ancient name Clancy was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Clancy is an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Fhlannchaidh, meaning 'red'. Variants of the name include MacClancy and Glanchy. There were two septs of the name, the more important being that of Thomond. They were a branch of the MacNamaras of County Clare and were hereditary Brehons to the O'Briens. They became established in North Clare some distance from the main MacNamara territory. The placename Cahermacclancy locates the area. Today they are still more numerous in County Clare and in the adjoining Counties of Galway and Tipperary than elsewhere. The only other County in which they are found in considerable numbers today is Leitrim. This is where the second sept had their territory, the head of the family being Chief of Dartry or Rosclogher.The Clancy family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Clancy descendants.